About the

Watershed District1

Meet the Watershed

District

Our Organization

What We Believe

Our Numbers

Our History

Our Comprehensive Plan

2

Meet the Watershed

District3

Who We AreWe are a special purpose, local unit of government, based on a drainage area of water.

We manage the water and related resources within 107 square miles of land that approximates the drainage area of Coon Creek and select drainage areas that drain to the Mississippi River.

We manage public waterways such as public ditches as well as wetlands and water quality; and we provide technical and financial assistance to local governmental units and private land owners.

We augment our work through partnerships with public and private agencies that help us prevent flooding and protect water quality, inform and educate the public and improve conditions at the urban/rural fringe. Our team also promotes sustainable, wise-use of the water resources within the District.

4

When and Why was the

Coon Creek Watershed District

Established?Due to citizen petition, the State of Minnesota established

the Coon Creek Watershed District in 1959 to provide

drainage and flood control for the benefit of citizens

within the watershed.

In 1982 the Minnesota Legislature directed Watershed

Districts to broaden the management scope to address

the additional beneficial uses of water for the sustainable

and “provident use of water resources.”

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What does the Coon Creek

Watershed District do?1. Protect public health and safety

2. Provide for the sustainable use of water and related

resources

3. Prevent unacceptable damage to the water and

related resources

4. Balance economic development with:

a) The performance of the local hydrologic system

b) The well-being of present and future

generations

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Coon Creek Watershed District

Mission

To manage groundwater and the surface

water drainage system to:

prevent property damage,

maintain hydrologic balance,

protect water quality

for the safety and enjoyment of citizens,

and the preservation and enhancement of

wildlife habitat.

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How we are Organized8

Board of Managers

Development Regulation

Operations & Maintenance

PlanningPublic &

Government Relations

Water Quality

Administrator

District Organization9

District Organization

The District is divided into 6 programsAdministration

Involves the Board of Managers

The District Administrator implements the policies of the Board and oversees day-to-day operations

Development Regulation and Issue Management

Evaluates, permits, and monitors plans and programs affecting the water and related land resources of the District in an

orderly and informed fashion

Operations and MaintenanceAssists in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of the District public ditch system and water control

structures

Preserves the location, character, and extent of the ditch and conveyance system within the District

Planning

Coordinates the planning, prioritizing, and financing of District programs and activities

Public and Governmental Relations

Ensures that the continuing planning and management of the Coon Creek watershed is responsive to the needs and

concerns of an informed public

Coordinates policies and programs of the local, state, and federal government agencies to achieve consistency with the

watershed plan

Water Quality

Ensures that water is protected from contamination

Minimizes the harmful ecological, economical, and human health impacts of Aquatic Invasive Species

10

Who are the people who work

for the Watershed District?

Our workforce has approximately 30

individuals, consultants and contractors who

reflect the full range of knowledge, skills and

abilities to handle the financial, engineering,

construction, education, biology and

chemistry involved in managing a watershed

such as Coon Creek.

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What We Believe12

What We Believe

1. Advocate an ethic of “wise use” in promoting the health, productivity, diversity and beauty of water and related land resources.

2. Listen to people and respond to their diverse needs in making decisions.

3. Protect, restore, and manage the watershed’s water and related resources so they best demonstrate the sustainable, multiple-use management concept.

4. Provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners and local governments encouraging them to practice good stewardship and quality land management in meeting their specific objectives and improve their water resources.

5. Help communities to wisely use the water and related resources to promote economic development and a quality environment.

6. Develop and provide scientific and technical knowledge aimed at improving the capability to protect, restore, manage, and use water and related resources.

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VisionIn carrying out the mission assigned by statute, Watershed District employees shall direct their efforts to achieving the following agency vision:

The Watershed District is recognized as a leader in the provident use of water and related resources using sound scientific principles.

The District is a diverse organization. All employees are respected, accepted, and appreciated for their unique and important contribution to the mission.

The District is an efficient and productive organization that excels in achieving its Mission. Responsibility and accountability for excellence are shared by employees and agency partners.

The people of the watershed can count on the District to perform.

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Guiding Principles

Watershed District employees shall seek to apply and exemplify the guiding principles set out in their professional conduct and in carrying out their assigned responsibilities by:

Using an ecological and hydrological approach to the multiple-use management of the Watershed

Use the best scientific knowledge in making decisions and select the most appropriate technologies in the management of resources.

Being good neighbors who respect private property rights.

Striving for quality and excellence in everything we do and are sensitive to the effects of our decisions on people and resources.

Striving to meet the needs of our citizens in fair, friendly, and open ways.

Forming partnerships to achieve shared goals.

Promoting grass-roots participation in our decisions and activities.

Valuing and trusting one another and sharing leadership.

Maintaining high professional and ethical standards.

Being responsible and accountable for what we do.

Recognizing and accepting that some conflict is natural and strive to deal with it professionally.

Following laws, regulations, executive direction, and legislative intent and being involved in the drafting, amending and interpretation of those laws and regulations as appropriate for the people and resources of the Coon Creek watershed.

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Our Numbers16

By the Numbers 68,500 acres of private and public land draining to the Mississippi river and managed by the District

$6,319,817,200 of damages if system completely fails

206.7 miles of storm sewer and pipe carrying stormwater to Coon Creek and the Mississippi River

178 miles of private ditch draining to Coon Creek

134 miles of public ditch and waterway; 46 miles of stream designated as Impaired for water quality

21,177 acres (31%) of public land which does not pay taxes

17,500 acres (26%) of wetland

16,901 acres (25%) of floodplain and floodprone land

16,202 aces (24%) of drainage dependent land

8,089 acres (12%) of impervious public highway and road producing runoff

1,383 acres of lakes

81 parks adjacent to or dependent upon surface water resources and their quality

18 State Endangered and Threatened species

2 Federally listed species

2 Regional Parks

1 State Wildlife Management Area

1 Regional Airport

1 National Award for repair project; 2 State awards for design and management

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Our History18

A History of Water

Management

Any account of the Coon

Creek Watershed District

must begin with the

European settlement of

Anoka County and the

efforts from 1885 to 1920 to

remove water from the

land to make it tillable or

habitable.

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Laws and Regulations

The Watershed District operates under Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota Rules as well as the U.S. Code and the Code of Federal Regulations.

These laws govern our directives and policies on how we manage water and related resources.

Water Management and soil conservation covers a wide range of law governing how the Watershed District manages the resource.

Year Enacted Title

1887 Drainage Act

1935 Federal Soil Conservation Act

1937 Soil and Water Conservation Policy

1955 Watershed Law

1967 Pollution Control

1969 Floodplain Management Act

1969 Shoreland Management Act

1969 Water Pollution Control Act

1971 Environmental Rights Act

1972 Federal Clean Water Act

1973 Environmental Policy Act

1976 Environmental Coordination Procedures Act

1976 Public Water Protection and Inventory

1977 SWCD Cost-Share program

1982 Metropolitan Surface Water Management Act

1985 Comprehensive Local Water Mgmt. Act

1986 Reinvest in Minnesota – RIM Reserve

1988 Water Policy

1989 Groundwater Protection Act

1991 Wetland Conservation Act

2006 Clean Water Lgacy Act

2008 Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment

2012 Comprehensive Watershed Mgmt. aka 1W1P

2014 Groundwater Surface Water Impacts

2015 Buffer Strip Legislation

2015 Metroplitan Water Management Act Changes

2015 Wetland conservation Act Changes

2016 Nondegredation/Antidegredation Impact Rule

2016 Tiered Aquatic Life Use Standards (TALU) Rules

2016 Water Quality Standards Reclassification

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Landmark LawsDrainage Act of 1887: Authorizes the construction and maintenance of drainage systems.

Watershed Act of 1955: Authorizes the establishment of a special purpose unit of government with taxing and regulatory authority to comprehensively manage water and related resources.

Metropolitan Water Management Act of 1982: Requires comprehensive water management on a watershed basis. Emphasizes planning and prevention of flooding and water quality problems.

Wetland Conservation Act of 1991: At the request of the cities within the watershed assumed responsibility for administering the act and pursuing no net loss in the quantity, quality and biological diversity of the District's existing wetlands.

Federal Clean Water Act- Special Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Designation of 2004: The District is designated an MS4 in 2004 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and must comply with the requirements of the NPDES-MS4 Program to develop and implement the six minimum criteria to achieve compliance with the program.

Federal Clean Water Act – Impaired Water Designation of 2006: District is informed that select reaches under its jurisdiction do not meet Federal and State water quality standards and the District must develop and pursue development and implementation of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).

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Public Law 566: Watershed

Protection & Flood Prevention ActThe Coon Creek Watershed District was born of the post world war II effort to modernize and revolutionize American agriculture. In 1954 Congress passed Public Law 566 (P.L. 566).

Major objectives of this program include reducing flood damages and erosion/sediment damages and improving water quality and agricultural water management. Watershed planning involves hydrology, engineering designs, ecological effects and economic evaluations.

PL-566 projects are initiated by local communities through the Soil and Water Conservation District to the Soil conservation Service and then must be approved by the State Soil and Water Conservation Commission.

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Watershed Work Plan

In July 1958 the Soil Conservation Service published a work plan for the Coon Creek Watershed.

The plan was designed to:

1. Reduce floodwater damage on and provide better drainage outlets.

2. Propose a five-year program for protection and development of the watershed.

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History 1887- 1918 Ditches within the District are constructed

1953- Federal Watershed Protection & Flood Prevention Act (PL-566) passed

1955- Minnesota Watershed Act Passed

1958- Petition filed to establish Watershed District

1958- Federal PL-566 Assessment and Work Plan published

1959- Coon Creek Watershed District Established

1982- Metropolitan Water Management Act (MWMA) enacted

1988- First MWMA Comprehensive Plan approved by BWSR

1991-Wetland Conservation Act passed – District asked to be LGU

2003- Designated an MS4 under the Federal NPDES program

2005- MPCA designated Coon & Sand Creek as Impaired

2007- MS4s required to manage for “non-degradation” of waters

2012- Coon Creek merged with part of Six Cities WMO (adds 15 square miles including impaired waters + unmaintained system)

2014- District directed to conduct a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS)

2016- Federally approved Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) water quality standard

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History of District Size

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2005 2010 2015

Sq

ua

re M

ile

s

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What the State Legislature is

Requiring of Us

DNR

Drainage Law

Receive Petitions

Operate and

Maintain

Protected Waters

Administer Protected

Waters Rules if DNR waives jurisdiction

Floodplain Management

Culvert Sizing

More Precise

Floodplain Elevations

Floodplain Modeling

Wildlife

Threatened & Endangered

Species

(T&E)

Nuisance Wildlife

Aware of T&E Species

Can’t issue a permit until DNR issues a taking permit

Suppose to deny

application that have

T&E Species

Ground Water

Ground Water Protection

Areas

Ground Water Dependent

Surface Waters

BWSR

Watershed District

Oversight

Comp Planning

Operate &

Maintain

Public Involveme

nt

Regulation

Metropolitan Water

Management Act

Comprehensive Planning

Regulations to implement

plan

Operations & Maintenance

Public Information, Education & Involvement

Monitoring of water quantity

& quality

AIS

Wetland Conservation

Act

Review & Approve:

Delineations

Sequencing

Replacement Plans

PCA

Water Quality Standards

Comp Planning

Monitoring for

compliance &

exceedance

Storm Water Planning &

Management

6 Minimum Control

Measures

Ground Water

Well Head Protection

Areas

Drinking Water Supply

Watersheds

26

What Congress is Requiring

of Us

Federal Clean Water Act

Federal EPA - Water Quality

Minnesota PCA

Storm Water, Water Quality Impairments, WRAPS

NPDES

MS4 Designation &

SWPPP Requirement

Minimum Control Measures

1. Public Education & Outreach

2. Public Involvement & Participation

3. Illicit Discharge detection & Elimination

4. Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Control

5. Post Construction Run-off Management

6. Pollution Prevention

Impairment Designation

Coon Ck

Pleasure Ck

Sand Ck

Stoneybrook Ck

Non-degradation Standards & Rule apply to land uses

within 1 mile of impaired water

WRAPS

Contract

Water Quality Monitoring

Water Quality Standards & Preliminary

Capital Projects

TMDL

Load Allocations

Amended Plan, Rule and CIP to achieve water quality goals

COE

Wetlands

Property Owner

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When did they Ask?28

Summary 9 years of improving farm land/contributing to flooding in urbanizing areas

1959 District established

24 years cleaning ditches (1959 to 1983) with an eye on flood control and drainage

8 years (1983 to 1991) cleaning ditches and accounting for other water resources (quality, lakes, flood control)

12 years (1991 to 2003) of cleaning ditches, accounting for other resources, and managing Wetlands

4 years (2003 to 2007) managing drainage, wetlands, and the water quality and flooding impacts of stormwater

6 years (2007 to 2013) managing drainage, wetlands, storm water and ensuring waters with impaired quality are not further degraded

3 years (2013 to 2016) managing drainage, wetlands, storm water, water quality and crafting a standard unique to the different parts of the watershed (WRAPS & TMDL)

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Comprehensive Plan30

Coon Creek Watershed

District Comprehensive

OverviewThe Coon Creek Watershed

District (District) is 107 square

miles in size.

The District is located entirely

within Anoka County and

includes parts of seven cities.

2 Types of Goals1. Mission Goals

Are the primary focus of District programs and activities.

Distill the various legislative mandates as they apply to the

watershed.

2. Issue Goals

Are issues facing water resource management in the

Coon Creek Watershed.

Strategic Plan

Mission Goals

1. To prevent property damage from flooding, erosion or degraded water quality.

2. To ensure balance between inflow, outflow and storage of water.

3. To ensure that water is protected from contamination.

4. To provide for a variety of beneficial uses including the safety and enjoyment of the watershed's residents.

5. To preserve and enhance wildlife.

Goal 1

Prevent Property Damage

1. Damage to life and safety

2. Structural Damage

3. Functional or Operational Damage

Goal 2

Ensure Hydrologic Balance

Nine variables influence the water balance of the watershed:

1. Drainage area

2. Disposition of land uses

3. Total precipitation

4. Total loss to evaporation

5. Total streamflow

6. Changes in soil moisture storage

7. Changes in groundwater storage

8. Changes in depression storage

9. Groundwater flux

Goal 3

Protect Water from Contamination

Resource Amount Unit

Streams and

Ditches 250 Miles

Deep Lakes

(>12 Ft) 347 Acres

Shallow Lakes &

Wetlands (<12

Ft) 15,508 Acres

Trout Lakes 29 Acres

GOAL 4

Provide for Beneficial Uses of Water

1. Drinking Water

2. Aquatic Life and Recreation

3. Industrial Consumption

4. Agriculture and Wildlife

5. Aesthetic Enjoyment And Navigation

Issue Goals

1. Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)

2. Changes in Precipitation

3. The decline in surficial Groundwater

and the effect on Groundwater

dependent resources

Immediate Concerns and

Priorities

1. Preventing flooding.

2. Improving water quality in impaired or

impacted waters.

3. Maintaining and enhancing water

quality in waters that are not impaired.